The railway runs through this Rhymney family’s veins. Father Dean Rees and daughter Tia have both passed their train driver tests—17 years apart—and now work side by side on the line.
From Police Officer to Train Driver: Tia’s Rail Revolution
Tia, 25, recently nailed her driver’s test under the eagle eye of Driver Manager Haydn Cridland—the same man who helped her dad pass back in 2007.
“I knew Tia was on the programme and met her early in her nine months of training,” said Haydn, a railway veteran since 1985.
“Not many start at Rhymney; it’s a small depot, so it’s a bit of a quirk she ended up here. She had to prove herself and she has loads of talent—I reckon she’ll go far.”
After a stint as a police officer, Tia swapped her badge for a train driver’s cab. “The training was tougher than I thought. I kept ringing my dad for tips,” she said. “I’ve done my first solo drives on Class 150s and 231s and I’m buzzing to carry on!”
Dad’s Legacy Keeps On Rolling
Dean, once an aircraft engineer, switched gears to become a driver in 2007. He spent ten years on the rails before moving up to instructor and driver manager.
“The training was brutal back then. Twelve weeks of classroom study, plus intense rule drills. I did eight hours with Haydn going through 512 questions!”
“When Tia was a police officer, her mum worried sick. I suggested train driving instead. For nine months, our house was full of nothing but train talk!”
Rhymney’s Railway Dynasty
- Haydn manages Tia.
- Dean manages Haydn’s stepson Craig, also a driver.
- Haydn’s son Charlie drives mainline trains.
- The family’s railway roots date back to 1915.
“Railway families like this are part of the industry’s heart,” said Haydn. “It’s a career with solid work-life balance and a good living. Definitely worth having.”
This Rhymney railway legacy looks set to steam on for generations.
